57: Green's Obsession

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Greene’s mind was full of question marks.

But soon, Greene’s mind cleared.

Oakes had told him about this VIP tutoring class, so his appearance here was not strange at all.

It was just Ellie; Greene hadn’t expected that even Ellie needed tutoring.

Is the internal competition among geniuses really this ridiculous?

“Ellie, why are you here too?”

“With your level, how could you possibly need tutoring? What about the rest of us?”

Greene asked indignantly, looking heartbroken and disappointed, as if the perfect halo of his idol had been shattered.

Ellie glanced at Greene indifferently, speechless at this goofy friend who was gradually becoming more like Oakes.

Well, rats find rats, kittens match big dogs, and goofballs only play with goofballs. If they weren’t birds of a feather, how could they have gotten along?

Ellie thought: All my friends are goofballs, who understands… “Are you an idiot, Greene?”

“How do you think I got to this level, without a teacher’s guidance?”

“Did I just know it naturally?” Ellie said unceremoniously.

“Oh, isn’t it just that you usually perform so amazingly?”

“Who knew you guys were going to tutoring classes? And you didn’t tell me, that’s just not cool.”

Greene was a little indignant.

“Greene, you really can’t blame us.”

“Last golden period, your study progress was so poor, how could you possibly attend this kind of tutoring class?”

“This is an advanced study tutoring class, not a tutoring class to help you review.”

Oakes explained from the side:

“Greene, this advanced study VIP tutoring class, the academy usually starts in February and ends in July, meaning it’s offered once in the first half of the year, and not in the second half.”

“In July of the last golden period, you had just passed the second five-year major exam. It was already over, so there was no way to tell you.”

“Didn’t I tell you as soon as this tutoring class started?”

…Greene felt much better after hearing this. Indeed, he had been too poor before; at that time, Greene had no qualifications to participate in this level of tutoring class.

“Move over a bit…”

Greene plopped down next to Ellie, squeezing her.

Although it was a two-person bench, Ellie had always monopolized it, so she always sat in the middle. Greene’s waistline was twice Ellie’s, so Ellie really had to move over for Greene to fit.

“Aren’t there empty seats over there? Why are you fighting with me?”

Ellie said in an ill-tempered manner.

“This is my first time in this kind of VIP tutoring class, and I don’t know many things. It’s perfect to sit with you, can I ask you questions?”

Greene shamelessly stayed by Ellie’s side.

Ellie didn’t find anything wrong after hearing this, so she tacitly approved Greene’s behavior.

And began to explain some class precautions and schedule arrangements to Greene… Greene, while smelling the charming, lilac-like body fragrance emanating from beside him, and enjoying Ellie’s captivating older sister voice, felt his whole body go soft.

Slightly tingling currents occasionally swept through Greene’s body, and at this moment, Greene seemed to be in a fairyland.

Ellie was Greene’s lilac girl.

At this moment, Greene wished time would stop, allowing him and Ellie to stay in this moment forever.

This moment.

It also became the moment deep in Greene’s mind that was worth remembering and savoring forever.

Until he was old, until he died… Just like that, Greene and Ellie were deskmates for half a year.

The two also left a beautiful, innocent, and pure memory in their exploration of the wizard's path.

This time, Greene.

He no longer blushed or was too shy to look into Ellie’s eyes, as he had at fourteen or fifteen.

Each time, he would secretly glance at Ellie, and as soon as Ellie noticed, he would quickly turn his head away, pretending not to care.

Although this feeling of youthful ignorance was wonderful.

What Greene wanted to experience more, however, was another way of interacting with Ellie.

Greene, who no longer knew what shame was.

(Perhaps it was eaten by those ants;

Perhaps it was influenced by Greene’s Grand Knight belief transformation;

Perhaps it was the confidence the Golden Finger gave Greene.)

Now, Greene looked at Ellie openly and honestly, but also maintained politeness and etiquette, his gaze not lingering too long on certain alluring parts.

Greene always looked directly into Ellie’s eyes when speaking, not shying away from meeting her gaze.

When discussing studies with Ellie, it was also to show off in front of the beauty.

Greene pulled out all the stops, using all his available Golden Finger allowance (except for the Meditation Technique once every 7 days) on course studies.

Before May, Greene was only barely evenly matched with Ellie.

After May.

Greene, empowered by the Light of Origin, utterly defeated Ellie, drawing the beauty’s attention. Greene even enjoyed the treatment of being Ellie’s little teacher.

(Enjoying Ellie’s three acts of coquetry every day, Greene’s commoner heart dared to think no further than this. No offense, no offense…)

…Wonderful times always pass quickly.

After half a year of intimate study as deskmates with Ellie, their feelings also rapidly warmed, and their relationship returned to its peak, becoming good friends who could talk about anything.

That was in the 6th year of the wizard's path, the year the previous Greene and Ellie were deskmates.

It was the most deeply imprinted year in the previous Greene's memories, and also the turning point of Greene’s destiny.

After that year.

The previous Greene gradually slid into the abyss of degradation, and his relationship with Ellie also gradually estranged.

The two, whose academic performances diverged, also grew further apart.

Although Ellie was kind and remembered favors, the previous Greene, deeply mired in the mud, was consumed by inferiority.

He perfunctorily ignored Ellie’s help and concern, completely trapped in a dead end of overthinking, unable to escape.

Driven by inferiority, Greene actively distanced himself from Ellie, enduring the torment of regret, sadness, and despair alone… Perhaps,

The previous Greene’s choice of such an aggressive method, practicing witchcraft like a madman, completely disregarding everything.

It must have been a death-seeking heart, either succeed or die.

Greene.

He was just a timid, weak, common man, crushed by reality, living daily in regret, despair, and torment.

Perhaps death was the best liberation for him… During this half-year of wonderful time with Ellie, Greene was completely immersed.

Even though the other classmates in the class looked sideways, discussed him, and stared at him with strange eyes, and the lecturing tutor also cast strange glances at the two sitting together every day.

Greene completely ignored it all.

Greene’s eyes only saw Ellie.

It was as if only Ellie in the whole world was worthy of Greene’s attention.

This was unimaginable for the cautious and timid Greene; the Aqua Blue Star Greene, who had always been afraid of living in the spotlight, actually became the focal point in everyone’s eyes.

Half a year!

…The day after the half-year VIP tutoring class ended.

Greene had a realization—

A heavy, inexplicable shackle suddenly dissipated from Greene’s spirit.

Greene’s soul also underwent an unknown transformation, as if it gained a flawless, transparent quality.

“Thank you…”

A faint sigh echoed in Greene’s soul.

Greene then realized that this was the previous Greene’s gratitude to him.

Poor Greene, his last obsession before death was actually

—to return to the happy times of studying with Ellie in the past.

And Greene’s half-year of intimate study as deskmates with Ellie was done under the influence of the previous Greene’s obsession.

The half-year of wonderful time with Ellie ended, and the previous Greene’s obsession also dissipated.

“Farewell, Greene…”

“May your youth in your next life be free of such regrets…”